


Merry Christmas, Nicky

by thegirlwiththeprettybrowneyes



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Christmas, Exy, Family, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-28 01:44:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17173481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirlwiththeprettybrowneyes/pseuds/thegirlwiththeprettybrowneyes
Summary: Nicky just wants his family to get into the spirit of things._______________My fic for the Heathen's Greetings Charity Zine





	Merry Christmas, Nicky

“That's it.” Nicky pulled the plug from the tv.  
Aaron tossed the xbox controller aside in frustration. “Jesus, Nicky!”  
Nicky crossed his arms. “I'm tired of you moping around like you do for the rest of the year.”  
Aaron rolled his eyes. “God, Nicky. The time of year doesn't-”  
“Bull. Shit.”  
“Excuse me?” Aaron scoffed.  
“Bull. Fuck-ing. Shit.” Nicky frowned.  
“Nicky-”  
“Don’t ‘Nicky’ me. It’s Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve!”   
Aaron snorted. “I know what day it is, what I don’t know is why it matters.”  
“It’s Christmas Eve!”  
“Yes, you’ve said that.” Aaron looked unimpressed.  
“Christmas Eve is about family! We should do something! Make some food, set up some stockings or bake some cookies!”  
“I’m not five years old. Nicky. We all know Santa isn’t going to come down the chimney. Not that he ever did before.” Aaron grinned. Nicky frowned.  
“Aaron, would you please just-”  
Aaron slammed his hand on the pillow. “Nicky, have you ever considered that I don’t enjoy Christmas? Never have. It makes me mad, like, it genuinely pisses me off. I hear the opening strains of Deck the Halls and I want to punch something.”  
Nicky refused to believe it. “You don’t remember when we were kids and you used to come over, and we would hide under the tree, trying to sneak cookies and open the present without anyone noticing?”  
Aaron scoffed. “Oh, you mean when I would come over with my mom? The woman who could barely remember what day it was because she was too high? Did you mean that, Nicky? Or are you maybe waxing poetic about your asshole parents, who don’t give a damn about you on a good day, and hate everything you are on a bad one. Are they a part of the good old days too, or am I the only one who’s getting the special treatment?”  
“I-” Nicky hadn’t realized. He’d just wanted to enjoy Christmas. “I’m sorry.”  
Aaron closed his eyes and sighed. He brushed his hair back and stood to re-plug the television. “Whatever Nicky, it’s fine. I just don’t like Christmas like you do, that’s all. Maybe somebody else will celebrate with you.”  
Nicky looked at the floor. “Okay.”

* * *

  
“Hey Kevin!” Nicky called. His voice cracked and he cleared his throat.  
Kevin didn’t seem to notice, he was too surprised that Nicky was at the court. “Nicky?”  
“You don’t have to look so surprised.” Nicky muttered. He stepped onto the court.  
“No one comes to practice on Christmas Eve. I thought you’d be out spending time with everyone.” Kevin gestured vaguely with his exy racquet.  
Nicky shrugged. “I could say the same to you.”  
Kevin was different here, he was practicing, yes, but informally. Barely any gear on, not in fox colors, but a neutral green shirt. Like his eyes, but darker.“I always practice on Christmas Eve. It’s the quietest time to practice. I did it last year too, when I went to New York with Matt.”  
“Oh.”  
“Yeah.”  
“Why didn’t you go this year? Didn’t Matt invite you?”  
“Well, I- um.” Kevin scratched the back of his neck. The top of his hair was getting long. Floppy. “I thought I might want to spend Christmas with my dad this year.”  
Nicky frowned. “Well, why aren’t you?”  
Kevin turned to face Nicky. “What do you mean?”  
Nicky waggled his hands around dumbly. “Well, you say you want to spend the holidays with your dad, but you’re here, throwing balls with sticks.”  
Kevin sighed. “Well, it’s something of a tradition for me, actually. Back when I lived in the nest, the mas- um, Tetsuji, would always take Riko out. So that they could celebrate together or something. And the rest of the Ravens would be home with their families. And Jean and I would just practice all day, because what else was there to do? And whenever one of us messed up, we would have to sing some stupid Christmas carol.” Kevin smiled, a small, private thing. A holiday kind of smile. “Jean used to say that hearing me sing was more of a punishment for him than it was for me.”  
Nicky smiled too. “Aww, that’s adorable in a kind of fucked-up way.”  
Kevin frowned “Yeah, well, it’s the one Christmas tradition I’ve got.”  
Nicky realized that he’d messed up. “Could I join you?” He tried as a remedy.  
Kevin lit up immediately “What, really?”  
Nicky matched his energy. “Yeah! As much as I find practice terrible, you're family now! What kind of family would I be if I didn't take part in your Christmas traditions?”  
“Um. I-” To Nicky’s surprise, Kevin seemed almost sheepish. “Thanks.”  
Something in Nicky’s heart melted. He’d always had a soft spot for kids who needed a masterclass in platonic affection. “Hey, there’s nothing to thank me for. Just don’t make me sing, I’m going to miss a lot of shots.” As he grabbed his racquet, Nicky had an idea. “Hey, do you ever listen to music while you practice?”  
Kevin frowned, and Nicky thought he would make some derisive comment about how it negatively impacted focus or something. “Adjust your grip there.” Then Kevin turned his attention back to the matter at hand. “No. Why?”  
Nicky shrugged. “Well it might make things more interesting.”  
Kevin bit his lip “I don’t know it that’s the best-”  
“Keviiiinn” Nicky whined  
Kevin conceded. “No christmas carols.”  
“Thank you thank you thank you!” Nicky pulled out his phone and scrolled down to the ‘classical music’ genre. The selected Tchaikovsky’s ‘Overture of 1812’ as the beginning played, Nicky saw Kevin do a double take. “You look surprised.”  
Kevin shrugged. “Not the kind of music I was expecting.”  
Nicky grinned “Give it a try!”  
Later, as the cannons boomed, Nicky hit every shot he lined up. He grinned.  
Kevin looked at him when the song ended. “That’s… That’s a new record.”  
Nicky snorted “What? I’ve seen you do way better than that before!”  
“Not for me, Nicky, for you.”  
“Oh.”  
Nicky could already see the gears turning in Kevin’s head. “Well if this is what it’s going to take for you to do better in games then-”  
Nicky held up a pacifying hand. “Hey, hey, hey, we can figure that out at another time. Let’s just practice.”

* * *

  
Nicky found Neil on his way to find Andrew. “Hey, Neil, Merry Christmas!”  
Neil frowned. “Isn’t Christmas tomorrow?”  
“Christmas Eve is also technically Christmas.”  
“I’m not sure how that checks out.”  
Nicky shrugged. “Well neither am I, really. So why aren’t you in practice with Kevin.”  
“Andrew isn’t letting me.” Neil made a face that, if Nicky hadn’t known any better, he would have called a pout.  
Nicky smiled. “I see. And where is he now?”  
“The roof. Where else?”  
Nicky patted Neil on the head. “Cool, thanks Neil!”  
“Wait, you’re going to see him?”  
“Yeah. I haven’t seen him all day. It’s Christmas Eve.”  
“Oh. Okay.”  
Nicky made his way up to the roof. Andrew stilled, but he didn’t turn around.  
“Hey. It’s me.” The wind chilled Nicky to the bone. “Merry Christmas. Well. Actually, I don’t know if you like Christmas. Our first few Christmases together you and Aaron kind of holed up in your rooms. And then last year you were at easthaven so maybe that's not the best example.” Nicky stood next to Andrew now. He noticed Andrew’s cigarette. “You have another one of those?”  
“No.” Andrew put his full pack of cigarettes in his pocket. “I didn't know you smoked.”  
“Used to. One of the things in my life that was actually ‘just a phase'”  
“You had a smoking phase?” Andrew didn’t ask it like a question, but Nocky grasped the meaning behind it.  
“A self destructive phase.” Nicky chuckled bitterly “God, Andrew. It's Christmas.” Nicky sighed “I talked to Aaron this morning, he wasn't so keen on the concept. I don't even know why I like Christmas so much. I think maybe it was the last time I knew everything was alright, that Christmas I spent with Erik and his family. I felt like nothing could possibly go wrong.”  
“Hm.” Andrew acknowledged  
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. Living here, taking care of you and Aaron, these last few years have been some of the best of my life...” Nicky let his words trail off.  
“But?”  
“But…” Nicky shrugged “Everything’s uncertain. Last year, the whole deal with Neil, and you coming off the drugs, and even before that, remember the Christmas where Seth and Wymack were just fighting the whole time? There’s just no sense of calm. I just wish we could have… I don’t know...” Nicky sighed. “...a stereotypical happy Christmas.” Nicky guestured vaguely. “I don’t mean to unload on you. I’m sorry for barging into your space.”

* * *

  
“Jesus Christ!” Nicky screeched as the cold water hit his head. “Come on, Kevin, I thought we were cool!”  
Kevin’s eyes had bags and he was wearing an ugly christmas sweater. “I stayed up all night for you, you go down and be grateful.” Before leaving the room, Kevin smiled his press smile and said “Merry Christmas.”  
“Merry Christmas.” Nicky repeated, confused. Stayed up all night? Nicky stood and heard something jingling. “Is that? Is that music?” Nicky opened the door to his room “Oh.”  
The room was decked out in streamers and fake snow. It smelled like cinnamon and nutmeg. Aaron, Neil, and Andrew were all wearing christmas-themed sweaters. In the middle of the room, there was a small tree. Well, actually it looked suspiciously like a potted shrub from the cheerleader’s dorm. And under it were some shittily-wrapped presents.   
It was perfect.  
Neil looked up at him and smiled. “Merry Christmas, Nicky.”  
“Merry Christmas… did? Did you do this?”   
“Oh don’t look at me.” Neil cocked his head towards the twins, sitting on opposite ends of the couch.  
Nicky went to join them. He sat between them. “Thank you.”  
Aaron looked away. “I don’t know what you mean.”  
Andrew’s face didn’t change “Merry Christmas.”  
Nicky looked out at the dorm room, the makeshift Christmas tree with its haphazardly wrapped presents, his family, waiting for him to join them, and he looked out at it and he smiled.  
“Merry Christmas.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays, all!
> 
> This fic is from the Heathen's Greetings Charity Zine. All profits go to Lost-n-Found Youth, an organization which provides transitional housing and support services for homeless LGBTQ+ youth in Atlanta. If you would like a copy of the zine, you can find them here:  
> (Online copies) https://faintlyglow.itch.io/heathensgreetings-aftg-fanzine2018  
> (Print copies) http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/7961580/41ac4a39484e88fbf6b4674ad37d0d37231a12b1
> 
>  
> 
> Please give kudos and comments if you like it!


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